All proposals should fit under one of four focus areas.
Social Work Curriculum and Field Education
Presentations in this category will focus on the delivery of social work curricula across all program levels, content areas, concentrations, and specializations. Presentations will focus on how to promote robust, intellectually stimulating learning environments that prepare students for entry-level or advanced social work. This could include the development of new course content, innovative approaches to teaching, hands-on skill development, the use of technology to support learning either in the classroom or in distance education settings; the role of field education in the social work curriculum and/or in the university; the development of field placements, student preparation for field, or training field instructors. Presentations may also focus on classroom issues, including classroom management; and any other issues related to curriculum content, field education and teaching methodologies.
Leadership and Administration
Presentations in this category will focus on areas of leadership and administration in social work education/higher education and the human services sector. This could include issues related to budget and finance, resource development, mentoring and supervision, faculty diversity issues, legal issues, accreditation issues, trans-disciplinary or community collaborations, strategic vision and planning, human resource management, aligning program mission and vision with learning objectives and educational outcomes. Presentations in this category may also focus on leadership challenges and how to promote the development of leaders and administrators for the next generation of social work educators.
Research and Evaluation
Presentations in this category will focus on research and evaluation methods, including the use of appropriate research designs for various client systems, conceptual frameworks for practice, operationalization of measures to evaluate practice; ethical issues, institutional review boards, collaborative research, statistical strategies, qualitative methodologies and analysis, developing and refining research/evaluation skills, and methodological innovations. Presentations in this category may also focus on the use of new technologies for data collection, analysis, and dissemination and research and development models designed to improve the delivery of interventions and/or services.
Social Work Pedagogy
Presentations in this category will focus on the development and sharing of ideas and knowledge across the spectrum of social work education, social work practice, and social welfare policy. This could include social work philosophy, ethics, and values; emerging/contemporary issues in social work education; refinement and/or development of theories and models of practice; skill development for practicing competently; interdisciplinary issues; and any other area that will either promote or affect the advancement of social work education and practice in the 21st century.